Sulaimani Court Sends Lahur Sheikh Jangi Case to Erbil Court of Cassation
Lahur Sheikh Jangi's trial opened in Sulaimani but was immediately referred to the Erbil Court of Cassation for review following a defense request.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The Sulaimani Criminal Court on Monday suspended the proceedings in the trial of Lahur Sheikh Jangi, the President of the People's Front (Bereyî Gel), and ordered the case file to be transferred to the Court of Cassation in Erbil for legal scrutiny.
The decision was announced shortly after the court convened for its opening session, marking a procedural pivot in a high-profile case that has drawn significant political attention across the Kurdistan Region.
The first trial session began on the morning of Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, at the Third Criminal Court of Sulaimani.
Presiding over the hearing was Judge Abduljabbar Aziz Hassan, accompanied by two other judges. The courtroom was reportedly under tight security protocols, with security forces conducting thorough searches of all individuals entering the hall. Relatives of Sheikh Jangi were present to witness the proceedings, which commenced at 9:00 a.m. local time.
However, the evidentiary phase of the trial was effectively paused before it could fully begin. Burhan Rashid, the head of Sheikh Jangi's defense team, told Kurdistan24 that the court’s decision to transfer the file to Erbil was made in accordance with Article 56 of the legal code.
Rashid clarified that the transfer was executed upon the specific request of the defense team, a motion that was reportedly supported by the Court of Cassation itself.
"The trial was conducted under Article 56," Rashid stated following the adjournment. "Upon our request and that of the Court of Cassation, the court decided to transfer the case to the Erbil Court of Cassation for scrutiny."
The defense attorney indicated that the Erbil Court of Cassation is now tasked with reviewing the files to make a determination regarding the case's future trajectory. Despite the abrupt shift in venue for the legal review, Rashid characterized the atmosphere of the opening session positively, noting that "today's session generally proceeded well."
The transfer of judicial oversight to Erbil aligns with pre-trial motions and public statements made by the defendant's political circle. In the days leading up to the trial, sources close to the People's Front had expressed apprehension regarding the neutrality of the Sulaimani judiciary.
On Sunday, a source from the party, speaking on condition of anonymity, warned that the defense would seek a transfer to Erbil if they sensed "political interference" or harbored doubts about the integrity of the process in Sulaimani.
Furthermore, the request to move the legal proceedings was not limited to Sheikh Jangi alone.
According to defense statements, the families of Sheikh Jangi and 11 other detainees arrested in connection with the same events had formally requested that the trials be moved to Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region.
The Court of Cassation in Erbil will now conduct a scrutiny of the file before issuing a binding decision on how and where the prosecution will proceed.
The charges against Sheikh Jangi stem from a violent confrontation that destabilized parts of Sulaimani last summer.
On Aug. 22, 2025, a significant military operation targeted the Lalazar Hotel, which functioned as the main headquarters for Sheikh Jangi and the People's Front. A combined force of security and military units encircled and attacked the facility, leading to an intense firefight that lasted for more than three hours.
The clash resulted in multiple casualties, with reports confirming that a number of people were killed and injured during the exchange of heavy fire.
The battle concluded with the surrender and subsequent arrest of Lahur Sheikh Jangi, his brother Polad Sheikh Jangi, and several other senior leaders and administrators of the People's Front. They have remained in custody since that date, awaiting the judicial process that commenced briefly on Monday.
The trial is the culmination of a years-long political rupture within the Sulaimani-based political establishment. Sheikh Jangi, born in Koya in 1976, was once a dominant figure in the region's security architecture. He served as the Director of the Zanyari Agency (intelligence) and the Kurdistan Counter-Terrorism Group.
Educated in the United Kingdom, where he obtained a Business Administration degree from the University of Greenwich and holds British citizenship, he rose to the highest echelons of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), eventually being elected Co-President at the party’s fourth congress.
However, his political fortunes reversed dramatically on July 8, 2021, when PUK President Bafel Talabani expelled him, his brother, and close associates from the party leadership. The expulsion fractured the PUK and led to Sheikh Jangi forming his own political entity. On Jan. 17, 2024, he officially established the People's Front, receiving a license from the Ministry of Interior to operate as a distinct political party.
The scrutiny of the case file by the Erbil Court of Cassation is expected to address the defense's concerns regarding jurisdiction and due process. Until the high court in Erbil issues its ruling, the substantive proceedings regarding the events at the Lalazar Hotel remain on hold.